the effect of shoe toe box shape and
volume on forefoot interdigital and
plantar pressures in healthy females
abstract results
background Shoes with a round toe showed least pressure
around the medial aspect of the toes whilst the
pointed shoe had least pressure on the lateral toes.
Contact times for the plantar regions were not
altered in any shoe condition yet contact around
the medial aspect of the toes was highest in the
pointed shoe.
Ill-fitting footwear can be detrimental to foot health
with the forefoot being an area for most discomfort.
Studies on footwear have primarily examined
sports or orthopaedic prescription shoes and little
is known about the effects that everyday flat shoes
have on the forefoot. The aim of this study was to
investigate the effect of toe box shape in a popular
slip-on pump on dorsal and plantar pressures with
particular interest around the forefoot in a healthy
female population.
methods
A convenience sample of 27 female participants
with no known foot pathologies was recruited. After
assessment of foot size, plantar foot pressure and
interdigital pressures were recorded for each of
the 3 different toe box styles; round, square and
pointed. Participants walked at a self-selected
speed over a 10 m walkway whilst wearing each
of the 3 styles of shoe and also whilst barefoot.
Processed and analysed data extracted included
peak pressure, time to peak pressure, contact time
and pressure time integral. ANOVA and Freidman
analysis was used to test for statistical significance.
conclusions
This study highlights that the shape of the toe box
in footwear can significantly influence the amount
of pressure applied to the forefoot. Furthermore,
the contours of the shoe also have an impact on
the contact time and pressure time integral around
the forefoot and also the peak plantar pressure
in the toe region. The changes observed could
be significant in the development of pathology in
certain footwear toe box shapes. Consideration
should be given to footwear design around the toe
box to improve fit and reduce pressure. Further
work is required to investigate the effect of toe box
shape and volume on a pathological population
with pressure related lesions.
authors’ contributions
HB led this study and was involved in the study design, data collection and
extraction including statistical analysis and prepared this manuscript. AG wrote the
code to extract and process all the raw data. NC was involved in the design of the
study and the preparation of the manuscript. All authors reviewed and agreed on
the final manuscript before submission.
Current Pedorthics | March/April 2019
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